Tim Cook celebrates his 10th year as Apple’s CEO

On this day, 10 years ago, Tuesday, August 24th, Steve Jobs officially resigned from his position as CEO of The company he built from the ground up, and officially named Tim Cook as Apple’s new CEO. Two months after Tim Cook took the position as CEO. Steve Jobs sadly passed away due to complications with pancreatic cancer, and the future of Apple was now Tim Cook’s full responsibility.

Tim Cook took over Apple during a turbulent time when Steve Jobs was battling a rare form of pancreatic cancer. During this time, the company’s future seemed uncertain. Questions began to rise after Tim Cook took over, including whether Cook could continue the footsteps of Steve Jobs or if he was to create a new vision for Apple's future.

One day after Tim Cook became the CEO, he sent out a letter to all Apple employees promising that despite jobs no longer being part of the company, Apple was not going to change.

I am looking forward to the amazing opportunity of serving as CEO of the most innovative company in the world. Joining Apple was the best decision I've ever made, and it's been the privilege of a lifetime to work for Apple and Steve for over 13 years. I share Steve's optimism for Apple's bright future.

Steve has been an incredible leader and mentor to me, as well as to the entire executive team and our amazing employees. We are really looking forward to Steve's ongoing guidance and inspiration as our Chairman.

I want you to be confident that Apple is not going to change. I cherish and celebrate Apple's unique principles and values. Steve built a company and culture that is unlike any other in the world, and we are going to stay true to that--it is in our DNA. We are going to continue to make the best products in the world that delight our customers and make our employees incredibly proud of what they do.

I love Apple, and I are looking forward to diving into my new role. All the incredible support from the Board, the executive team and many of you has been inspiring. I am confident our best years lie ahead of us and that together we will continue to make Apple the magical place that it is. Tim

Tim Cook took over the responsibilities for the launch of the iPhone 4s in 2011 which was announced a day before Steve Jobs death. Jobs had overseen the development of this device, but the iPhone 4s was the first iPhone which launched under Tim Cook’s authority.

The first device that was fully developed under Tim Cook’s leadership was the iPhone 5 which released in 2012. The iPhone 5 represented one of Apple’s major turning points. It was the first major size change since the iPhone 2G, and it was the first major design change since the iPhone 4 in 2010. Two years after his first iPhone launch the Apple Watch was announced and this was the beginning of Cook's first “One more thing” product announcement, a phrase that jobs had pioneered and used only to signify major revolutionary products. The Apple Watch was the first major revolutionary product launch since the jobs' era.

Tim Cook continued to release new products and services that led the company to become the world's first trillion-dollar company.

Oh, and “one more thing” Tim Cook announced not too long ago that he doesn’t expect to remain the CEO of Apple for the next 10 years, but his influence on the company is surely not done just yet.

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